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IndyCar Champ Moving To NASCAR

Last updated on Wednesday, October 3, 2007

(CONCORD, NC) - IndyCar series champion Dario Franchitti will not be around to defend his title in 2008.

The 2007 Indianapolis 500 winner will announce his move to the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series today. Franchitti will announce he is joining Chip Ganassi Racing at a news conference at the team's North Carolina headquarters this morning. He will replace South Bend native David Stremme in the number-40 Dodge next season.

Franchitti is expected to make his debut in stock car racing on Friday when he participates in an Arca race at Talladega Superspeedway.

Rumors that Franchitti would join Ganassi's Nextel Cup team were running rampant at the IndyCar series finale at Chicagoland Speedway three weeks ago.

The delay in announcing the move revolved around Franchitti's contract with Andretti Green Racing, which was to run through December 1st.

AGR announced on Tuesday that Franchitti has been released from the final two months of his contract.

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